Tuesday, 10 March 2015

The Nigerian Army on Monday opened the trial of 22 of its officers,
accused of mutiny in connection with the military’s ongoing fight
against the insurgent group, Boko Haram. The court-martial proceedings of the army officers, including a Brigadier-General, began in Lagos amidst tight security.

The trial began at the Officers Mess of the 9th Brigade Headquarters,
Ikeja, after two postponements, with journalists barred from covering
the proceedings.

Femi Falana, counsel to the one of the defendants, said the recent
procurement of military weapons by the army is a testimony that the
officers were ill-equipped and ill-motivated.

“The military authority has told the world that they have just taken
delivery of military equipment, I feel there is no need to put them on
trial, that is why we congratulated them in the successes so far
recorded,” said Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

“This confirmed that as at the time they were arrested there was no
weapon to fight, but now that they have weapons, they should release the
boys to go and join others to fight.”

The soldiers, charged with mutiny over ongoing battle against Boko
Haram insurgents in the North-east, were initially billed to be
arraigned on January 16, but the court martial was postponed at the last
minute.

Again, on January 19, the next adjourned date, it was postponed.

The trial was the first time senior Nigerian army officers would be
put on trial for offences related to the military’s campaign in the
North East.

Those affected by a gale of court-martialling that swept through the
Army since 2014, were mostly non-commissioned personnel, many of whom
were either sacked or sentenced to death.

In December, 54 soldiers were sentenced to death for mutiny. The Army
said the soldiers disobeyed a direct order from their superior officers
to take part in an operation. The soldiers however said they only asked
for support equipment before embarking on the operation.

Twelve other soldiers had been previously sentenced to death by
firing squad for shooting at a car conveying their commanding officer,
Ahmed Mohammed, a Major General.

The soldiers revolted after some of their colleagues were ambushed
and killed by Boko Haram extremists, an attack they blamed their
commander for.

Also in December 200 soldiers were sacked after an overnight trial.
They had been held in detention for three months and denied
communication to their families or legal representation.

Mr. Falana, who did not attend Monday’s hearing as his client,
General Komolafe’s case was not scheduled, said the trial should not
even hold because the soldier’s position that they were not well
equipped had been corroborated by the recent procurement of weapons.

Mr. Falana’s argument was based on the disclosure by Alex Badeh, the
Chief of Defence Staff, that the challenges in fighting insurgency have
been ameliorated by the recent delivery of military hardware.

Recently, following a massive deployment of many newly-acquired
military assets, the Nigerian Army have recorded a series of victories
against the Boko Haram insurgents, retaking territories hitherto
controlled by the terrorists.